Category: Thoughts

Group Projects Are Hard in Every Time Zone

By IJ | 2026-09-08 17:22

I've gotten used to school. A little. Okay, a very little. I've only taken three courses so far, but one thing has been on my mind in an interesting way, so I figured I'd write it down. The 12-hour reply S...I've gotten used to school. A little. Okay, a very little. I've only taken three courses so far, but one ...

A Thirty Year Vintage

By IJ | 2026-07-27 22:11

A child I love was born, and I turned into a thirty-year vintage. 인종 삼촌 ^__________________^ To celebrate my birthday I had lunch with my niece, Roa. The drawing above is the present she made for me. She's...A child I love was born, and I turned into a thirty-year vintage. 인종 삼촌 ^__________________^ To celebrate...

Jane, and the Default Setting of Life

By IJ | 2026-07-15 23:31

Lately I keep replaying scenes from one particular film in my head. Jane (꿈의 제인), a 2017 Korean indie by director Cho Hyun-hoon. It follows the bleak reality of runaway teenagers and the warm, mysterious c...Lately I keep replaying scenes from one particular film in my head. Jane (꿈의 제인), a 2017 Korean indie by ...

Somewhere Between Tech Ethics and Industrial Revolution

By IJ | 2026-07-10 20:39

If you clicked because of the thumbnail… you got baited. Kidding. It's just me, your friendly neighborhood blog owner. Today I want to talk about something that's been living rent-free in my head lately: e...If you clicked because of the thumbnail… you got baited. Kidding. It's just me, your friendly neighborhoo...

Understanding, Judgment, and Immersion

By IJ | 2026-07-06 17:04

I heard recently that US employment numbers went up. US (as of June) Nonfarm payrolls: +57,000 (a slowdown—roughly half of what the market expected) Unemployment rate: 4.2% (down 0.1 percentage points from...I heard recently that US employment numbers went up. US (as of June) Nonfarm payrolls: +57,000 (a slowdow...

Korean Students vs International Students

By IJ | 2026-07-03 16:34

Let me count. Since February this year, I've knocked out three courses in my UIUC iMBA MBA 597 – Program Foundations FIN 574 – Microeconomics for Business FIN 571 – Money and Banking And here I am. My firs...Let me count. Since February this year, I've knocked out three courses in my UIUC iMBA MBA 597 – Program ...

Finance Is Just a Balance Game

By IJ | 2026-06-16 15:12

I took Money and Banking this semester. It's the course where you learn how money gets made, where it flows, and what banks actually do all day. I'm not going to lie—I underestimated it at first. "Interest...I took Money and Banking this semester. It's the course where you learn how money gets made, where it flo...

The Companies of Tomorrow

By IJ | 2026-02-05 06:32

The Question That Keeps Me Up at Night AI has become the buzzword du jour, and honestly? It's the topic I find myself diving deepest into these days. The question that keeps gnawing at me is simple yet mas...The Question That Keeps Me Up at Night AI has become the buzzword du jour, and honestly? It's the topic I...

The Fall Is Fast and Brutal

By IJ | 2026-01-21 19:28

I watch Netflix's Black Mirror pretty regularly. And out of all the episodes, the one that stuck with me the most? Nosedive . Nosedive Nosedive is set in a world where everyone is rated on a 5-point scale,...I watch Netflix's Black Mirror pretty regularly. And out of all the episodes, the one that stuck with me ...

How Humans Can Make Gold—And Why We Still Can't

By IJ | 2026-01-21 04:06

I was mindlessly scrolling through YouTube last night when the algorithm served me a video about making gold. I clicked on it expecting nothing much, just background noise while I wound down for the day. B...I was mindlessly scrolling through YouTube last night when the algorithm served me a video about making g...

What Optimistic Nihilism Taught Me

By IJ | 2026-01-15 22:05

A 5-Minute Video I Stumbled Upon About a month ago, YouTube's weird algorithm led me to stumble upon this video. Since then, I've watched it several more times and eventually saved it so I could revisit it...A 5-Minute Video I Stumbled Upon About a month ago, YouTube's weird algorithm led me to stumble upon this...

Life, Everything is Quantum

By IJ | 2026-01-08 21:05

I once briefly worked at a Korean startup that was building a quantum-related service. It was really brief—so short that I can't claim to know everything about quantum mechanics. But during that time, I ha...I once briefly worked at a Korean startup that was building a quantum-related service. It was really brie...

The Invisible War You Didn't Know You Were Already Losing

By IJ | 2026-01-06 23:42

You've probably never thought about what's inside your iPhone. Or your Tesla. Or the F-35 fighter jet (okay, maybe you don't own one of those). But here's the thing—they all share a dirty little secret: ra...You've probably never thought about what's inside your iPhone. Or your Tesla. Or the F-35 fighter jet (ok...

Why I'm Chasing the Faucet: My iMBA Journey

By IJ | 2026-01-06 01:28

After my MITx journey, I'm finally taking on something I've dreamed about for a while: an MBA. Let's rewind to 2017. Fresh out of school and stepping into the real world, I immediately ran face-first into ...After my MITx journey, I'm finally taking on something I've dreamed about for a while: an MBA. Let's rewi...

Finishing MITx — A Dream, Kinda Achieved

By IJ | 2025-12-24 00:42

I boldly started the MITx MicroMasters program, and now it's finally over. After pouring so much effort into the final capstone exam... MIT Congratulations Letter I received my certificate!! Proudly sharin...I boldly started the MITx MicroMasters program, and now it's finally over. After pouring so much effort i...